Man City manager Pep Guardiola admits that Chelsea only won the transfer race for left-back Marc Cucurella because the higher-ups at the club didn’t want to pay the £63million that Brighton were demanding.
The Blues and new owner Todd Boehly started to put the motion in works on the deal for the 24-year-old during the dinner which he hosted out in London with his other Premier League executives to get to know them more. On top of Cucurella, talks with Carney Chukwuemeka started at that first meeting with representatives who attended the meal from Aston Villa. Cucurella to Chelsea only became viable once Man City walked away from negotiations. Prior to the west Londoners’ interest being lodged in the former Barcelona academy graduate, the player in question himself had his heart set on playing in East Manchester under Guardiola.
A dream that he ensured the Seagulls would at least seriously consider when he handed in a transfer request. A request itself which Chelsea themselves pounced on as manager Thomas Tuchel saw the Brighton full-back as the perfect competition for Ben Chilwell with both Marcos Alonso and Emerson Palmieri expected to leave before September 1. His versatility also means he can play in a back three system at left-centre-half which is perfect for Tuchel as the versatility covers two positions technically. But why did City themselves just completely walk away without a fight for a player Guardiola earmarked to come in alongside star signing Erling Haaland and Kalvin Phillips?
It was simply to do with ‘money’ as the four-time Premier League winner revealed in his press conference ahead of Bournemouth at home this weekend via The Manchester Evening News: “The moment we couldn’t go through with Cucurella because the club decide we wouldn’t pay this amount of money for this player.”
Instead of Cucurella, Man City are now closing in on the talented Anderlecht star Sergio Gomez to come in at left-back. A signing which would all end the Citizens’ transfer quest on the incomings front, unless they were to be forced into late action if Bernardo Silva was to seal his big money move to Barcelona.
“I’m very, very pleased with the team. It’s not [big] in terms of numbers but there is incredible versatility and they all have huge quality – even the young academy lads,” he added. “The quality is there, they just have to push each other to the next step this season.
“If nobody moves, I think nobody’s coming in. Now I have the feeling that if we have a problem with Kyle and Joao we have players who can replace them. That’s why Sergio comes. Even Nathan [Ake] can play there.
“In the right you have Kyle, Joao, John and maybe Rico. We don’t have a big squad but we have some players who play in different positions quite well. That’s why the moment we decide for Sergio, the debate for another left-back was over.”
